Monday, May 4, 2009

Peanut's Freak Out and Rodeo Pictures

It seems like every weekend that we have a rodeo I have the same pictures. The same two kids on the same horse. But this time, I have a fun story to go along with the same pictures. The morning started out like any other. Mr. Cowboy went to feed the horses while I got lunch and snacks ready. While I was outside washing out the cooler (because I am a procrastinator and didn't do it earlier) I hear Mr. Cowboy yelling at Peanut. It was loud. Mr. Cowboy yelled a few choice words and there was a lot of ruckus. I waited for all the yelling to stop until I called MR. Cowboy's phone to see what was going on. Peanut was so upset because Mr. Cowboy let Pearl and her filly out in the big pasture and left Peanut in a stall. Well, Peanut jumped, from a stand still, over the four foot divider wall between two stalls. Mr. Cowboy told me Peanut was in the wrong business. Well, Peanut then was loaded in the horse trailer where he proceeded to freak out. Mr. Cowboy had to cut his front feet out of the hay bag and out of our feed trough that is in the trailer. Peanut was mad! The then tried to get out of the trailer window. So, Mr. Cowboy aced the Peanut horse and stood by his window while I loaded the kids, food, and dog into the truck. It was a mess. Peanut was fine as soon as we were moving. We even loaded Ozzie with him in the trailer but he just wanted Pearl and her baby. While at the rodeo, Peanut was fine. Not a single thing wrong with him. He was his angel self. So, now Peanut is kept in the stud pasture, far away from any mares and foals. Today, is day one of Peanut learning patience, being tied to the breeding pole. I am also going to get me a better pair of hobbles and the horse is going to learn to stand still with no rearing or pawing. Mr. Cowboy told me that he was going to sell Peanut if he kept this up. I told him to calm down and that I would fix the problem. Mr. Cowboy also said, "I bet I know why they got rid of this horse!!" Which I don't think he was sent to the sale barn because of his obsession with foals. I think Peanut just got attached and didn't want to be separated. Horses with separation anxiety do crazy things. So far Peanut is doing fine. Like I said, Peanut was a total angel at the rodeo. My sister in law did offer to buy Peanut from us. It was kind of her to offer. I told her that if she had called this morning Mr. Cowboy would have dropped him off at her house. On Friday, I got Ozzie back from the trainer. I rode him Friday night. He was okay. A bit chargey. We took him to the rodeo with us and he was a super star all day long. Mr. Cowboy rode him and didn't like him and swears Ozzie is not fixed. Mr. Cowboy just doesn't get along well with Ozzie. So, I am just going to have to break out my eventing vest and helmet and just get on that horse. I will pad myself up. Maybe that will help with my confidence. I am also just going to ride him in my English saddle. I figure if I am going to fall off or if Ozzie is going to take off and I am destined to hit the ground then it doesn't matter what saddle I am in. Right? So, with my Tipperary Vest and helmet I will be armed and ready. Ozzie was really jumpy when I brought him home. But it seems like he has calmed down a bunch now. I think he gets scared of the trainers because they are kind of aggressive. And this might sound really weird, but Ozzie is emotional. For example, he cut his ankle one time, nothing serious, and he acted like his hoof was falling off. He really is a big baby. Plus he is four years old. And I know that in the western world four year olds are supposed to be super broke and ready to show, but Ozzie is just a big of a slow learner. I love that picture. The lady in the orange shirt is Ms. Cathy. She gives kids riding lessons. She is always out there helping her kids and yelling helpful things to them while they are riding. She is very good. She also only charges 15 dollars an hour for lessons. She says she thinks parents and children should be able to afford lessons. Big Cowpoke doesn't take lessons with her and she still is helping out. I would have Big Cowpoke take lessons with Ms. Cathy, except the child doesn't really want to ride. He won second place in ground roping and he won a ribbon in every class he rode in except flags, because he dropped one flag. He rides really well, he just would rather ride his dirt bike. Then there is Little Cowpoke who informed me the other day that he doesn't ride Peanut any more because he only rides Sheep. I finally found a great kid's horse and both my boys want to do something else. I sure do hope Little Cowpoke gets all that rough stock riding out of his system. I had to tell him that if he wants to ride sheep, then he has to finish this summer of riding Peanut. We need to work on goat flipping. That poor goat is going to end up breaking it's front leg. Big Cowpoke needs to grab the two front legs and the flank on the back of the goat. We need to practice with Joe. This is the flag event where the flag flipped out of the bucket. But Big Cowpoke was trying to go fast. He got the second one. Does that look like a wild and cray stall jumping horse? I just don't get it. Little Cowpoke tired to ride by himself. So, he put on his helmet and headed to the arena. But Peanut was so tired Little Cowpoke's legs just couldn't get Peanut to go. This is Cowpokette doing her PeeWee Herman laugh. She sounds just like him. It's hilarious. Mr. Cowboy helped out and flagged the last two events. That man would love to have a job where he would flag or judge rodeos. It's all business with him. The rodeo finished a bit earlier than normal. We were out of there by 6:30pm. Plus we were at an arena that was only 25 minutes from our house. It was nice to get home and get clean before 10 pm. If anyone has any suggestions for Peanut's behavior let me know. My plan is to tie him for a few hours a day and then teach him all about hobbles.

13 comments:

Good Luck. I don't have any advice. I have me some attached horses too and almost all of them have become jumpers over our too short fence when their friends are on the other side! It started with the little mule last year, then big willie decided to give it a go and now my son's horse Shy-Anne is jumping it too. Yikes. Most of the time, time and consisitency does help. In our case I need to add a hot wire to the top of the fence!

Actually, that type of behavior is not uncommon in geldings when around foals. There are very few that can be trusted around babies. I've known of geldings that have tried to steal foals, geldings that have killed foals and there are geldings that become overly attached to mares and foals-like Peanut. I would just keep him as far away from the mares and foals as possible and he will get over it.

Girl, you are braver than me! I can't imagine jumping on a horse in an english saddle if I thought they might blow up. I need a horn and some leather to hang onto-LOL.

Great pictures! I had a gelding like that too - and yes, I had to keep him separated almost all the time, he couldn't even ride in the trailer once with with my mare baby combo - or he'd become this heard bound overly attached, impossible to show whack-job!

That's my best advise - separation - as far apart as you can get them.

Personally I hobble every single one of the horses I own and train. It teaches them not to panic when they get caught up and can't run away like their instincts tell them.Saved me more than once.

Something else with tieing/freaking out when being left from the herd. I got my nose broken a week ago by a new horse that went completely haywire because it wasn't used to being lead to be turned out. They just had the stall doors opened and were allowed to gallop out of the barn.Anyway that horse got the tieing patience treatment. I tie that horse in it's stall. I go out and put hay out then turn every single horse out. If the horse is calm when I come back it gets to go out and eat breakfast. If it's not then it stays tied there until it stands calmly. Trust me when you put a meal in the line of justice they smarten up real quick to not miss a meal.

Personally I hobble every single one of the horses I own and train. It teaches them not to panic when they get caught up and can't run away like their instincts tell them.Saved me more than once.

Something else with tieing/freaking out when being left from the herd. I got my nose broken a week ago by a new horse that went completely haywire because it wasn't used to being lead to be turned out. They just had the stall doors opened and were allowed to gallop out of the barn.Anyway that horse got the tieing patience treatment. I tie that horse in it's stall. I go out and put hay out then turn every single horse out. If the horse is calm when I come back it gets to go out and eat breakfast. If it's not then it stays tied there until it stands calmly. Trust me when you put a meal in the line of justice they smarten up real quick to not miss a meal.

I was laughing at the image of you all suited up to ride Ozzie. Maybe some Charmin' TP for padding, too? :)I'm like BEC don't think I could do I could do it English!That is scary about Peanut. He could have hurt himself or someone, poor guy! Interesting, I've never heard of geldings getting like that! Good to know, since I have a gelding. Perhaps moving him far away from the mares and foals will help. If he's never done this before, then it is probably the mares and foals and he sounds like too good of a horse for the kids to ride to get rid of for that alone.

I have heard of geldings behaving that way and my mare is scarred from a geldings behavior. When she was a foal a gelding picked her up by her neck and swung her around! She has a nice scar on both sides of her neck. I agree with BECG I would keep him away from the mares and foals.

I love to jump on my mare~I actually have built several jumps here at the house. but I do it in my western ranch saddle. Of course I don't even own a english saddle! LOL! Good luck and I think you need to just get out there and ride him! You'll be fine.

My first foal was killed by a gelding 2 years ago - whereas I don't think Peanut is going through a an iron and post fence to kill, you might want to keep him away from the babies in case of an accident.

I think he has separetion anxiety! That Mustang of mine cleared a 5 1/2 foot fence to get back to the others! I think I have her in the wrong business also!

Tell your boys all good rough stock riders can ride a good horse also. I can't stand a guy who can brag about riding a bull but doesn't know how to saddle up a horse. Makes me crazy! Tell them it will make them more popular with the ladies one day! lol

Let me know how many times you hit the dirt with Ozzie! Maybe we can keep a running tally between your Ozzie and this gray I'm working!

Good thing Peanut didn't hurt himself or anyone else. My mare has separation anxiety, but luckily hasn't done anything too crazy. Luckily you have an alternate place for him, so he can get over it. Good luck with Ozzy!

I have got a gelding like that. He is stud-cut, thinks he is still a stud. I have done everthing possible to get him out of it and so far nothing works. but I agree with keeping him seperated and tying him out. Loved the photos of the kids at the rodeo. I talked to my cousin Ginger the other day. We are going to Missiouri in Sept to watch her and spend time with her.